editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Tovia Smith is an award-winning NPR News National Desk correspondent based in Boston.For the last 25 years, Smith has been covering news around New England and beyond. She's reported extensively on the debate over gay marriage in Massachusetts and the sexual abuse scandal within the Catholic Church, including breaking the news of the Pope's secret meeting with survivors.Smith has traveled to New Hampshire to report on seven consecutive Primary elections, to the Gulf Coast after the BP oil spill, and to Ground Zero in New York City after the September 11, 2001 attacks. She covered landmark court cases — from the trials of British au pair Louise Woodward, and abortion clinic gunman John Salvi, to the proceedings against shoe bomber Richard Reid.Through the years, Smith has brought to air the distinct voices of Boston area residents, whether reacting to the capture of reputed Mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger, or mourning the death of U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy.In all of her reporting, SmithNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Tovia SmithThu, 15 Sep 2016 14:35:43 +0000Tovia Smithhttp://kacu.org
During the Our Ocean conference later this morning in Washington, D.C., President Obama will establish the first national marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean.The area of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is the size of Connecticut and has been called an "underwater Yellowstone" and "a deep sea Serengeti."Hidden beneath the Atlantic Ocean, off Cape Cod, Mass., is a submerged wonderland of lush forests, canyons deeper than the Grand Canyon, vivid corals and extinct volcanoes — all teeming with wildlife such as endangered sperm whales, sea turtles and exotic species that aren't found anywhere else."We're phenomenally excited," says environmental activist Brad Sewall of the Natural Resources Defense Council, who says the underwater wilderness is unexploited by commercial fishing, mining or drilling."It's gonna be increasingly important as climate change, its impacts increase," Sewall says, "We need to have these protected reservoirs of resilience."Opponents areObama To Designate First Marine National Monument In The Atlantic Oceanhttp://kacu.org/post/obama-designate-first-marine-national-monument-atlantic-ocean
70329 as http://kacu.orgThu, 15 Sep 2016 09:22:00 +0000Obama To Designate First Marine National Monument In The Atlantic OceanTovia Smithhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGoWLWS4-kU If colleges are a hunting ground, as they've been called, for sexual predators, advocates say that high schools are the breeding ground — and that any solution must start there. They say efforts at college are too little, too late.The push for earlier intervention is coming from a wide range of voices, including student survivors, law enforcement officials — and New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft."I have a couple granddaughters in college, and y'know, I'm just thinking, holy mackerel — let's get to the root of it," Kraft told an audience of hundreds of high school students and teachers at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. With half million dollars — and his team's star power — he's got some 90 Massachusetts high schools to run a dating violence prevention program called Mentors in Violence Prevention."It's about respect and listening," Kraft said in his speech. "We have to make this cool."Many students were starstruck by Kraft and the bigTo Prevent Sexual Assault, Schools And Parents Start Lessons Earlyhttp://kacu.org/post/prevent-sexual-assault-schools-and-parents-start-lessons-early
69038 as http://kacu.orgTue, 09 Aug 2016 09:00:00 +0000To Prevent Sexual Assault, Schools And Parents Start Lessons EarlyTovia SmithCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit NPR.How Is The Democratic Convention Playing In Deep-Blue Massachusetts?http://kacu.org/post/how-democratic-convention-playing-deep-blue-massachusetts
68617 as http://kacu.orgThu, 28 Jul 2016 19:59:00 +0000How Is The Democratic Convention Playing In Deep-Blue Massachusetts?Tovia SmithWhen it comes to sexual assault of students, some say private secondary schools are still being a little too private about how they handle misconduct.A recent Boston Globe investigation found hundreds of students were allegedly abused by teachers and staff at scores of New England prep schools since the 1950s. Many of the perpetrators were quietly let go, and then moved on to re-offend at other schools.To many who've been through private boarding schools, the stories of sexual abuse comes as little surprise. There are not only more opportunities for misconduct with kids at school day and night, but also, arguably more pressure on elite, competitive prep schools to keep such problems private."That's just how it is," says Maggie Fitzgerald, who enrolled at the Williston Northampton School in western Massachusetts five years ago as it was being sued for trying to cover up a teacher's sexual misconduct with a student. The news didn't dissuade her. "I mean, every boarding school has comeBreaking The Cycle Of Sexual Abuse Of Students By Prep School Teachershttp://kacu.org/post/breaking-cycle-sexual-abuse-students-prep-school-teachers
66021 as http://kacu.orgWed, 18 May 2016 22:13:00 +0000Breaking The Cycle Of Sexual Abuse Of Students By Prep School TeachersTovia SmithWhen it comes to punishing students for campus sexual assault, some say kicking offenders out of school isn't enough. They want schools to put a permanent note on offenders' transcripts explaining that they've been punished for sexual misconduct, so other schools — or employers — can be warned.Survivor Carmen McNeill says it's common sense. She was a college junior nearly two years ago when, she says, she passed out on someone's bed after a party, from a mix of drinks — including one she suspects was spiked."There was a male figure over top of me," she recalls. "And my arms were being held down by his arms."The next morning, after realizing she was missing her underwear, McNeill started piecing together what happened."He took advantage of what he saw was an easy target and he did what he wanted with me," she says.Eventually, a campus disciplinary panel expelled the male student. McNeill felt relieved and vindicated — until she found out he was accepted as a transfer student at anotherPush Grows For A 'Scarlet Letter' On Transcripts Of Campus Sexual Offendershttp://kacu.org/post/push-grows-scarlet-letter-transcripts-campus-sexual-offenders
65785 as http://kacu.orgWed, 11 May 2016 21:23:00 +0000Push Grows For A 'Scarlet Letter' On Transcripts Of Campus Sexual OffendersTovia SmithCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Malia Obama's 'Gap Year' Highlights Growing Trend In U.S.http://kacu.org/post/malia-obamas-gap-year-highlights-growing-trend-us
65447 as http://kacu.orgMon, 02 May 2016 20:41:00 +0000Malia Obama's 'Gap Year' Highlights Growing Trend In U.S.A group of die-hard Patriots fans went to federal court earlier this week trying to overturn the team's punishment for Deflategate.The Patriots were stripped of their first-round draft pick after the NFL found the team improperly deflated footballs in the Jan. 18, 2015, AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.Fans say the team shouldn't be punished while the case is on appeal."That's not fair, you know. We gotta think long-term here," says Mike Dimauro, one of seven plaintiffs accusing the NFL of fraud, negligence and inflicting emotional distress.Commissioner Roger Goodell and Patriots owner Robert Kraft are also named in the suit.The Associated Press reports:The complaint says the league and Goodell relied on "false premises and biased 'investigations'" in handing down punishment, which also included a $1 million fine and a four-game suspension for quarterback Tom Brady. Brady's suspension remains under appeal.The suit criticizes Kraft for not fighting the league'sFans Want Patriots' Draft Pick Restored And Sue NFL To Make It Happenhttp://kacu.org/post/fans-want-patriots-draft-pick-restored-sue-nfl-over-deflategate-punishment
64457 as http://kacu.orgThu, 07 Apr 2016 09:37:00 +0000Fans Want Patriots' Draft Pick Restored And Sue NFL To Make It HappenTovia SmithMore than 700 million women worldwide today were married as children, and most of them are in developing countries. But there is a growing recognition that many young teens are marrying in the United States as well — and several states are now taking action to stop it.Advocates say the young marriages run the gamut: They include teens of every ethnicity and religion, teens who are American-born and teens who are not being forced into arranged marriages."To be honest with you, I begged my parents to let me get married," says Rachel Holbrook, who was 15 when she decided she wanted to marry her 21-year-old boyfriend.Partly, she says, it was because of her fundamentalist Christian upbringing."I thought that was God's will for my life," she says. "I had been pretty much taught from birth that the highest calling of a woman was to be a wife and mother and that I needed to do that to be in God's will."Holbrook says her other motivation was her belief that sex before marriage was a sin."YouWho Decides If You're Too Young To Marry?http://kacu.org/post/who-decides-if-youre-too-young-marry
64411 as http://kacu.orgTue, 05 Apr 2016 20:47:00 +0000Who Decides If You're Too Young To Marry?Tovia SmithI first noticed it in a neighborhood of Boston aptly called the "Innovation District." On a crumbling corner of an old brick building, there was a gaping hole created by about 15 missing clay bricks, filled in with about 500 Lego blocks.I was determined to find out who the artist was."I don't know!" I was told by folks working in the building. Their property manager had no clue, nor did the people at Lego. "If you hear, let us know," said brand relations manager Amanda Santoro."It's a mystery," says Emily O'Neil, executive director of the Fort Point Arts Community, a group of artists who've long occupied the old warehouses in the neighborhood. "When we first saw it, the reaction from the community was literally, 'How wonderful, guerilla art has come back!' "One day, I came across an Instagram picture of the Lego patch — in pieces.That's when I found Nate Swain, a former landscape architect trying to make it as an artist."I saw this gaping hole in the wall ... and it was just sort ofUnraveled: The Mystery Of The Secret Street Artist In Bostonhttp://kacu.org/post/unraveled-mystery-secret-street-artist-boston
64389 as http://kacu.orgTue, 05 Apr 2016 09:04:00 +0000Unraveled: The Mystery Of The Secret Street Artist In BostonTovia SmithCollege students can't miss the warnings these days about the risk of campus sexual assault, but increasingly, some students are also taking note of what they perceive as a different danger."Once you are accused, you're guilty," says Parker Oaks, one of several Boston University students stopped by NPR between classes. "We're living in a society where you're guilty before innocent now."Xavier Adsera, another BU student, sounds a similar theme. "We used to not be fair to women on this issue," he says. "Now we're on the other extreme, not being fair to guys."As colleges crack down on sexual assault, some students complain that the schools are going too far and trampling the rights of the accused in the process. In recent months, courts around the nation have offered some of those students significant victories, slamming schools for systems that are stacked against the accused."Schools are overcorrecting," says a student from the University of California, San Diego. "People like me areFor Students Accused Of Campus Rape, Legal Victories Win Back Rightshttp://kacu.org/post/students-accused-campus-rape-legal-victories-win-back-rights
58126 as http://kacu.orgThu, 15 Oct 2015 09:16:00 +0000For Students Accused Of Campus Rape, Legal Victories Win Back RightsTovia SmithStudents headed for college this fall can expect a slew of new efforts aimed at preventing campus sexual assault. A federal law that took effect this summer requires schools to offer programs to help raise awareness and lower risk.It was once a tiny niche market, but it is now an exploding industry with everything from fingernail polish that detects date-rape drugs in drinks to necklaces that hide mini panic buttons — and all kinds of crash courses on how to get and give consent."Every other day there's a new group sprouting up offering slick advertisements and products," says Sharyn Potter, a researcher at the University of New Hampshire. Schools don't want to risk stiff penalties, and "corporations know that these administrators are panicking ... and shopping," she says.Potter says UNH can barely keep up with demand for a program it is selling called Bringing in the Bystander. Cited by the White House as one of the most promising, the program teaches students to recognize whenCurbing Sexual Assault Becomes Big Business On Campushttp://kacu.org/post/curbing-sexual-assault-becomes-big-business-campus
55724 as http://kacu.orgWed, 12 Aug 2015 20:42:00 +0000Curbing Sexual Assault Becomes Big Business On CampusTovia SmithHaving clinched the long-sought prize of same-sex marriage in all 50 states, some long-time advocates are now waking up to the realization that they need to find a new job. At least one major same-sex marriage advocacy group is preparing to close down and other LGBT organizations are retooling.They have grown from a ragtag group with a radical idea into a massive multi-million dollar industry of slick and sophisticated sellers of a dream. Today, their very success has made their old jobs obsolete."We could not be happier than to be able to say this campaign is done and the right thing to do is shut it down," says Evan Wolfson, founder and president of the advocacy group Freedom To Marry. It is closing up shop and Wolfson says that has been the tentative plan for months.But it's still a big adjustment for staff who've made same-sex marriage the cause of their lives and thought it would take a lifetime to achieve."It kinda blows your mind when you are face-to-face with that moment," saysAfter Supreme Court Decision, What's Next For Gay Rights Groups?http://kacu.org/post/after-supreme-court-decision-whats-next-gay-rights-groups
54114 as http://kacu.orgWed, 01 Jul 2015 10:12:00 +0000After Supreme Court Decision, What's Next For Gay Rights Groups?Tovia SmithCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: A suspected terrorist was fatally shot this week in Boston by antiterrorism officers. His family is calling for a full investigation of his death. They say it's not clear whether the shooting was justified. NPR's Tovia Smith has the latest.TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: Usaamah Rahim had been under 24-hour surveillance for allegedly planning to behead a specific person believed to be Pamela Geller, who has railed against the dangers of what she calls Islamic extremism. Antiterrorism investigators say the 26-year-old Rahim got impatient with that plan, and at 5 a.m. Tuesday, he called an alleged co-conspirator and said he'd decided instead to kill police that day or the next. Within a couple hours, five officers approached him in Boston. Officials say their weapons were not drawn, but Rahim came at them with a large combat knife. They say the officers retreated, and only after Rahim didn't stop they started firing.ABDULLAH FAROUK: IFamily Of Suspected Terrorist Killed By Boston Police Call For Investigationhttp://kacu.org/post/family-suspected-terrorist-killed-boston-police-call-investigation
53087 as http://kacu.orgThu, 04 Jun 2015 21:31:00 +0000Family Of Suspected Terrorist Killed By Boston Police Call For InvestigationTovia SmithCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit MELISSA BLOCK, HOST: In Boston this afternoon, convicted bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev got emotional in court for the first time. Five of his relatives from Russia took the stand, and Tsarnaev seemed to tear up during their testimony. NPR's Tovia Smith was in court and she joins us now. And Tovia, first, tell us about this testimony and how Tsarnaev reacted.TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: Well, I think we all saw what we've been watching for for months and haven't seen yet, and that is any single even small sign of emotion. For months, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has sat totally impassively with this blank expression. Even as a parade of survivors described their horrific injuries and losses and pain and suffering, he would usually not even look at them. But today he did turn to see these five relatives who traveled from Russia, and one in particular, his 64-year-old aunt. She took the stand and immediately started crying. Then she sobbed uncontrollably, hyperventilated,Boston Marathon Bomber Gets Emotional During Relatives' Testimonyhttp://kacu.org/post/boston-marathon-bomber-gets-emotional-during-relatives-testimony
51926 as http://kacu.orgMon, 04 May 2015 21:59:00 +0000Boston Marathon Bomber Gets Emotional During Relatives' TestimonyTovia SmithCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: The attorneys defending Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev had their first chance today to start laying out why they think he does not deserve the death penalty. Tsarnaev was convicted earlier this month on 30 federal charges. NPR's Tovia Smith was in the court and is with us now. And Tovia, what types of arguments are Tsarnaev's attorneys making?TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: Well, really, two different kinds - first, they're trying to show that Tsarnaev was the junior partner in crime in this case and that his now-deceased older brother, Tamerlan, was the leader. If not for him, they said, it never would have happened. People may not want to hear this, his attorney said, but Dzhokhar was a good kid. It's just that for a number of reasons, they said, he couldn't defy his older brother. The defense is also making a case more broadly against the death penalty, telling jurors they shouldn't even try to hurt Tsarnaev like he hurtTsarnaev Defense Urges Jury To Spare His Lifehttp://kacu.org/post/tsarnaev-defense-urges-jury-spare-his-life
51629 as http://kacu.orgMon, 27 Apr 2015 20:25:00 +0000Tsarnaev Defense Urges Jury To Spare His LifeTovia SmithNPR's Tovia Smith is covering the sentencing phase of the Dzhokhar Tsarnaev trial in Boston. A jury is weighing whether the 21-year-old convicted in the bombings that killed three people and left 264 others wounded should be put to death for his crimes. Tovia will be tweeting developments as they happen. Copyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Live Tweets: Day 3 Of Boston Marathon Bombing Trial's Penalty Phasehttp://kacu.org/post/live-tweets-day-3-boston-marathon-bombing-trials-penalty-phase
51483 as http://kacu.orgThu, 23 Apr 2015 17:25:00 +0000Live Tweets: Day 3 Of Boston Marathon Bombing Trial's Penalty PhaseTovia SmithBostonians marked the second anniversary of the marathon bombing Wednesday, all while awaiting the sentencing phase of convicted bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to begin. The jury must decide on death or life in prison — a fact that hung over the day's events. Copyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Bostonians Mark 2nd Anniversary Of Marathon Bombinghttp://kacu.org/post/bostonians-mark-2nd-anniversary-marathon-bombing
51167 as http://kacu.orgWed, 15 Apr 2015 20:19:00 +0000Bostonians Mark 2nd Anniversary Of Marathon BombingTovia SmithCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: Dramatic and emotional closing arguments today in the trial of the admitted Boston Marathon bomber Johar Tsarnaev. NPR's Tovia Smith was in the court and joins us now. And, Tovia, prosecutors went first this morning. Describe what they had to say.TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: Well, they really painted a picture for jurors of Tsarnaev as this cold, calculating terrorist targeting innocent people, choosing this family event to maximize the terror, they said. He wanted to punish Americans and awaken other terrorists, the prosecutors said, because he and his brother felt they were these jihadi soldiers avenging the deaths of Muslims overseas. And the prosecutors reread the note that Tsarnaev left in the boat where he hid that basically said as much. He doesn't like killing innocent people, he wrote, but it's justified in this case. And the government's closing was also very dramatic, as you said. The prosecutors played a kind of slideshowIn Closing Argument, Prosecutor Says Tsarnaev Wanted To 'Punish America'http://kacu.org/post/closing-argument-prosecutor-says-tsarnaev-wanted-punish-america
50816 as http://kacu.orgMon, 06 Apr 2015 20:36:00 +0000In Closing Argument, Prosecutor Says Tsarnaev Wanted To 'Punish America'Tovia SmithThe defense rested its case on Tuesday for admitted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev after just a few hours of testimony. The defense called four people to testify compared to the 92 called by prosecutors.Tsarnaev's lawyers have admitted he did what he's accused of doing. Their single aim is to try to cast Tsarnaev as less in charge than his brother Tamerlan — who died while they were running from authorities — and therefore less deserving of the death penalty if it gets to that.The defense called in an FBI fingerprint expert to say that pieces of the bomb showed only Tamerlan's prints — none from Dzhokhar. So, too, with the bomb that exploded in a firefight days later. The exception was one Tupperware bomb found after the shootout. That had prints from both brothers, but more from Tamerlan.A computer expert also testified — bolstering the idea of Tamerlan as the real, committed terrorist and Dzhokhar less so. He did a little compare-and-contrast between their laptops. He saidClosing Arguments To Begin Monday In Boston Marathon Bombing Trialhttp://kacu.org/post/closing-arguments-begin-monday-boston-marathon-bombing-trial
50594 as http://kacu.orgWed, 01 Apr 2015 07:32:00 +0000Closing Arguments To Begin Monday In Boston Marathon Bombing TrialTovia SmithCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: A milestone today in the case against admitted Boston Marathon bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. The prosecution rested, and the defense attorneys began their case. NPR's Tovia Smith was in court and joins us now. And, Tovia, I understand there was a rather dramatic ending to prosecutors' evidence this morning. Can you describe it?TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: Yeah. It was both dramatic and disturbing. As you know, even though the defense attorneys have conceded that Tsarnaev did it, prosecutors still have to prove it. And their grand finale today was two medical examiners who described, in graphic detail, the injuries to the two people killed by the bomb left by Tsarnaev, 23-year-old student, Lingzi Lu, who, according to testimony, may have been alive, suffering for minutes before she died, and then 8-year-old Martin Richard. The medical examiner said not one single part of his little four-and-a-half-foot-tall body escaped injury. Just gutProsecution Rests Case Against Admitted Boston Marathon Bomber http://kacu.org/post/prosecution-rests-case-against-admitted-boston-marathon-bomber-0
50539 as http://kacu.orgMon, 30 Mar 2015 20:46:00 +0000Prosecution Rests Case Against Admitted Boston Marathon Bomber